ABOUT HENRIK KARAPETYAN

Born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1981, Henrik started playing the violin at the age of six, enrolling in music classes at Spendiarian Special Music School. In 1997 Henrik received full tuition to attend the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory of Music, where he studied with distinguished Professors Suren Akhnazaryan (violin) and Gayane Akhnazaryan (chamber music). During his studies he was the concertmaster and a frequent soloist with the Conservatory Baroque Orchestra, the first group to introduce stylistically aware musical performances of the Baroque Music in Armenia, under the guidance of Professor Aram Talalyan. The orchestra gave Armenian premiers of works by Bach, Rameau, and other composers of the Baroque era (most notably, “St Matthew’s Passions” by Bach in 2001). In 2000, as a member of the “Serenade” Chamber Orchestra Henrik traveled to perform in Germany, Switzerland, France and Russia on several occasions. In the same year, he was appointed the concertmaster of the Yerevan Festival Orchestra. In 2001, Henrik played alongside the members of the celebrated Armenian State Komitas Quartet on several occasions.

In 2002, Henrik came to the United States to pursue his graduate degree at Wayne State University’s Music Department, studying with Professor Movses Pogossian. While at Wayne, he led the orchestra as its concertmaster and was featured as a soloist on many occasions, including as the winner of the 2004 Wayne State Concerto Competition. While at Wayne Henrik was also engaged to play with “Jazz From Schamrock Shore,” a band comprised of faculty members at Wayne State and Bowling Green State universities. In 2007 Mr Karapetyan received full scholarship and teaching appointment to attend doctoral studies at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance, where he studied with Aaron Berofsky. He played in the University Graduate Quartet, was the winner of the 2008-2009 Tuesday Musicale Series and in February 2009 was among the few musicians representing the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance in the annual Conservatory Project at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. While at the University of Michigan, Henrik carried through an extensive research on Medieval Armenian Religious Music and its potential for modern composers, collaborating with several noted composers and musicologists. This finally became the topic of his first Dissertation Recital, the later two featuring the complete violin-continuo works of G. F. Handel and the complete violin-piano sonatas of Paul Hindemith.

While pursuing his studies, Henrik was actively involved in the community as a performer, lecturer and teacher. He held the concertmaster’s positions in Plymouth (Plymouth, MI) and International (Port Huron, MI) orchestras, acting as guest-concertmaster in number of others and performed with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings and Ann Arbor Symphony orchestras. In 2003, while still in school, he won a contracted position with the Michigan Opera Orchestra and has been performing with the group since. In 2006, Henrik Karapetyan released his debut CD of Violin-Piano miniatures (with Yevgenia Lavrovskaya on piano). Among other venues, Mr Karapetyan has performed in Carnegie Hall, NY; Kennedy Center, Washington DC; Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, and Armenian State Philharmonic Hall, Yerevan, Armenia. He has appeared with numerous concerts and recitals in Armenia, Russia, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Canada and USA. In 2015, he collaborated with celebrated soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian and pianist Serouj Kradjian in another concert dedicated to the Genocide. In the same year, he was invited to be a part of the Armenian World Orchestra for a concert in Paris, commemorating the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and joined the project again in 2017, this time in Yerevan.

Along with his Classical performances he has been very active in the folk scene of Michigan, becoming one of the most sought after folk/alternative violinists in Michigan. He performed with “Orpheum Bell” Folk-Eastern band (www.orpheumbell.com), is one of the founding members and the violinist of Michigan’s premier Klezmer band, “Klezmephonic” (www.facebook.com/klezmephonic/), the violinist of Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet (www.facebook.com/DAVESHARPWORLDSQ) and Duo Mosaic” (www.duomosaic.com).

As a guest artist, Henrik Karapetyan has lectured, coached and performed nationwide, most recently appearing in Georgia College State University (GA) and Bowling Green State University (OH).

Dr Karapertyan’s violin appears in numerous CD-s. As a producer or co-producer he has released 6 albums with musical content ranging from Western Classical to Klezmer, Near Eastern and World Music. A 7th, solo CD is to be released in 2019.

As a teacher, Henrik has consistently maintained a full studio and taught throughout his three years at the University of Michigan as a Graduate Student Instructor. His students have been admitted to music programs in universities and colleges nationwide. He also worked several years at the Detroit Civic Orchestra as a mentor, playing with the group and supervising/helping the younger members of the orchestra. As an instrumentalist, lecturer, guest artist and educator, Henrik performs more than hundred and fifty programs annually in concert venues, universities, festivals, libraries, retirement homes and schools across US.

Dr. Karapetyan now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he is currently working on his teaching blog, several research and performance projects and is trying to find time to play soccer with his twelve-year-old son, Sasha.